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He pulls me against his chest and holds me tight. He kisses my forehead and I tuck my head into the crook of his neck. “I need to get up in a few. I need to be around the table at nine.”
“Okay, baby.”
We lay there holding each other for a while until there’s a bang on the door. “Z, hurry up,” Alex says.
I groan when he moves and he kisses my lips quickly. “I shouldn’t be too long.”
He might not, but there’s no promise to that. It can be a quick fifteen minute talk or it can last hours. I watch him get dressed and once he’s ready he kisses me quickly, walking out the door. I flop down on the bed and stare at the ceiling. I can’t just stay in this room. I need to get out, go do something. I miss working and it’s fucked up because I should want to be anywhere but there. It’s just hard because it was my idea. I designed it. The construction teams changed that empty warehouse where they used to do all our dirty business, into my vision.
My phone rings and I jump to grab it. It’s probably Ivy. She and Kace got close last night. It was really sweet, and he told her he was going to bring her to work and pick her up after. She’s either calling to argue that or talk about how she was wrong about him.
I snag my phone and answer without even looking. “Hello?” I sing into the phone.
“It’s about time you answer my call.” I freeze. I’m completely unable to move or speak when I hear my father’s voice. “Where are you?”
I can’t show him fear. He’ll latch onto it and use it to his advantage. I need to relax my voice, even if my body doesn’t again.
“You’ve called?” I ask, deflecting.
“Don’t be obtuse,” he hisses. “Where have you been?”
“I don’t exactly know what you mean? I told you I was having girl time,” I say.
His manic laugh sends chills down my entire body. “Is that so?”
Any other time I’d be on top of it, throwing out bullshit stories. But, all I can think about right now is this asshole is going to kill the only man I’ve ever loved. The only person who has ever cared for me, protected me, accepted me. He’s going to kill him while I watch and make me live with that pain. I know in my soul, that’s his plan. It’s making my stomach turn.
“Alright, I’m gonna be honest with you,” I start. I close my eyes and hope this buys us some time. “I’ve been staying with Ivy, I went to school with her.”
“I know who she is,” he snaps.
“Right, well, she’s going through a hard time and she hasn’t wanted to be alone,” I lie.
“What hard time is that?” he questions.
I blow out a breath, making him think I don’t want to say, but really I’m buying time to come up with something. “She was in an abusive relationship. She’s scared to be alone, because she thinks he’ll come looking for her. I have a gun and I know how to protect myself, so I offered to help.”
“No excuse for not being at the club,” he snaps.
“I’m not making excuses, I’m telling you where I’ve been,” I say.
I know he doesn’t actually believe me, but I’m hoping maybe, even if just for a day, I have him wondering. He won’t know for sure until he’s back, which I’m hoping he’s going to reveal. If I knew when he would be home, I’d be able to better prepare. The element of surprise is best, for both of us I suppose.
“You’re done hiding, you will be back at the club today. I have someone coming and you need to pay him for me.”
My eyes prick with tears because I know exactly what he wants. I know that he still thinks he’ll get the photo proof that the deed is done. I refuse to cry, I will not give him anything else of me. He’s taken enough.
“What time?” I ask.
“You’ll get your ass over there now,” he shouts.
I sit down in the chair and try to think. “I have a doctor's appointment,” I lie again.
“For what?”
“For birth control pills. I need to see him for my refills.” The lies just keep coming.
He’s cursing and I know it’s because he’s not here to prove my lies first hand. He’s not in complete control and it’s killing him.
